Gas main stopper



April 30, 1940. s. A. BEHRINGER GAS MAIN STOPPER Filed March 3, 1939 INVENTOR GEUIFGEA. BEHR/N ER ATTORNEY I memes Apr. 30, 1940 This invention relates to gas main stoppers 1n to the type including:

a arm, [and more especially p'airfof collapsible jaws.

Arnonlgf heobjects of the; present invention, it *ai'rned to provide an improved} gas main stopper;

aving a pair of collapsible jaws associated: with one-piece yield'able closure forming disc or diafiragm. j The diaphragm has a yieldable sealing associated therewith intimately to engage 1e inner periphery of themain eifectiv ely' to stop as passage of" gas therethr ou gh. s s It is still another object offthe present invenon to provide an improved gas main stopper wing a pair of collapsible jaws associated "with rlibber disc having a yieldable' rim. ,The; discis ldabletofl enable insertion oi the disc supportg jaw members anddisc through a small openg in the main to be shutoff when the jaw eleents are collapsed and the disc is folded; and re rim" is conformable to theinner periphery of l main when the jaws are openedandthe' disc ifolded and erected transversely across the main beshutofi. It ,lsstill another object ofthe present invenm to provide an improved gas main stopper wing a pair ofcollaiasiblejiws associated with rubber disc having a pneumatic inflatable rim sociated therewith to conform itself to the in- :r periphery of the main to be shut off when the we are opened, the disc unfolded and erected ansversely across the main, and the rim intted intimately to engage the inner'peripheryof e main effectively to stoputhe" passage of gas erethrough.

These" and other featnres, capabilities, and vantages of the invention, will appear from e subjoined detailed description of specific emdiments thereof illustrated in the a'ccompany g drawing in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

the gas main stopper as it is initially inserted to amain, according to one embodiment there- Figytz is an enlarged section of the embodiant illustrated in Fig. 1, with the jawsopened; edisc erected, andthe rim inflated;

Fig. 3is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;" Fig. [4 is a reduced section on the line 44 of 2".- 2; i Fig; 5 is asection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Eig.6 is an enlarged fragmentahsection show the connection of a disc" withthe jaw memr of the embodiment illnstratedin- Figs. 1 to 5' :lusive; and i Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentalsection: show-u ing the connection between the discand the jaw of; another embodiment! i Intheembodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6 in and preferably notover 16", anda wall thickness of approxi-- rriately to- /g"", depending pon the pressure In the illustration of Figs. 1 and 2, it isassomed that the gas is moving in the direction ofthearrow 2. In practicegwhen a portion ofthe main I is to be repaired,either to stop a leak or installation, a portion of the main I is'tapped at a poi-ntremoved from theleak or point of'repair' or; constructiony The size of the opening so i tapped, with a main having" an inside diameter" ofnot less than 3", does not exceed 1%." in diameterwhen a gas main stoppersuch as the presentisihtended to-be used. i i The gas main stopper of the embodiment i1- lirstratedin Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, seelFigmi, con

of a shank' 5 rectangular in cross section, having outwardly extending grip or handle 6' at one end andanarcuate formation l at the other end extending in the same direction asthe handle. The handles 6' of the jaws 3 and 4' extendaway from one another when the jaws are opened, as shown ini Eigt 4,, and the arcuate formations! similarlyextend away from one another tocom plenient one another in the formation of a circul'ar frame. The lowerends of the arcuate formations Tare pivotally connected to thecross piece 8 spacingthe lower ends from one another" intermediate the; shank '5 and the arouate formation l of eachjaw, there is, see'Figs. 2 and:

provided an outwardly extending curved: clear ance' portion ,I-These clearance portions 9, see

3;:Iextend outwardiy from oneyanother when the jawsareimcoll'apsed position, thatshownin Figs. 1:i:and3;; In opened position 0? the. jaws, these clearanceportions 9, seeFigI. 2, extend away from. the. gas sup-ply indicated by the arrow 2- and; toward the point of repair or construction. I.

- Mounted on: the shanks 5 of, the jaws 3 and 4 there is provided the positioning frame H1 hav when} the jaws are collapsed, as shown in Fig; 1.w

in'gsa'plate: H engaging the. shanks 5, with a lower liprlz to rest on therouter: peripheryofthe main I asshownjnFig. Land acurved tongue l3 having. a tapered endzl lr notched at l:5,i to: engage tween which washer 20 and the intermediate web. of the U-shaped plate I6 there is positioned a coil the wall of the main I, as shown in Fig. 2. For anchoring the positioning member III in position on the shanks 5 when the jaws are opened into the position shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time anchoring the jaws in their open position, there is provided the U-shaped plate I6, see Fig. 5, through which extends the bolt H, which bolt is preferably connected to the plate II in the present instance shown as having a head I8 connectedto the plate II- The free threaded end of the bolt .II' has a wing nut I9 screw-threadedly mounted thereon, toengage the washer bespring 2I surrounding the bolt I'I. Preferably, as shown, thespring 2I is disposed in a cylindrical thimble 22, one end of which is adapted to rest against the intermediate web of the U-"' shaped plate I6, and the other end of which is adapted toengagethe washer 20 when the wing nut IB is turned into its final locking position. a

, As the wing nut l'9 isgradually released, it will due to the spring 2I, yieldably maintain jaws 3 and 4 in position until force is applied to fold them together into their collapsed position, that shown in Fig. '3, when, due to the angular formation of the shanks 5, the U-shaped plate I6 and plate II will again yieldably anchor the jaws 3 and 4 inth eircollapsed position. However, when the wing nut is turned to permit movementof the jaws 3 and 4 into andout of open position, the locking pressure of the spring 2I will have been sufliciently diminished to permit the plates II and I6 to be slid upwardly out 35:, of engagement with the main I and permit the stopper again toberemoved from the main.

The main feature of the invention now, to be described, consists in providing for the arcuate formations I, the yieldable disc consisting in the .embodiment shown in Fig. 6, of a rubber disc member 23 having a pneumatic inflatable rim 24, a clincher flange 25, and a supply tube 26. Inthe embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the clincher flange 25 is initially inserted-between the cres-.

after the opening has been tapped in the main I,

and the jaws 3 and 4 are collapsed, the rubber disc123'and rim 24 will yield to permit the arcuate opening into the interior of. the main I, there;-

upon the jaws opened into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereupon the device erected'so that the disc 23 and rim 24 will extend transversely across the main I, thereupon the positioning device Ill brought downinto engagement with the wall of the main I as shown in Fig. 2, and the wing nut -30, see the embodiment shownin Fig. 7, may.

19' turned to anchor the positioning device I0 in this position, and at the same-time anchoring the jaws 3 and 4m their opened position, and

thereupon air supplied through the tube 26' to inflate the rim 24 until it intimately engages the;

inner face of the main I and effectively shuts off anypassage of gas through the main I at this area. i "In some instances, especially with the gas main stoppers adapted for the smaller sizes, and where lower pressures are used, the rim 29 of the disc the inner face of the main I.

formations .I to be insertedthrough the tapped I be composed of solid rubber. In this embodiment, the locking flange 3| is formed on the fin 29 between which and the disc a single flange 31 of an arcuate formation 1 will extend and rivet; 33 provided which connect the disc and flang| 3| of the rubber element to the flange 32 of thi metal arc formation I.

It is, of course, obvious that the various part1 associated with the jaws 3 and 4 are preferabl: composed of metal, and that the disc 23 with it associated rim 24, .clincher flan e, Z5, and tub 26, are composed of rubber or the like yieldabll .material, and similarly that the disc 30 and it associated rim 29 and'clincher 3I are composer of rubber, rubberized canvas or the like yieldabl material- When the jaws are equipped, according to th embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7, obviously th outer periphery of the rim 29 in open positioi should normally exceed the cross sectional inne area of the main I', andreliance placed upon th compressibility of the ri'm 29 intimately .toen a Furthermore when the jaws are equipped, according tothe em bodiment shown in Fig. '7, ordinarily when, posi tioning the stopper in a main I, itwill be incliner to the cross section of the main, thereupon th jaws will first be opened, then the shanks 5 en gaged and pressed with the wall of the main I a I a fulcrum until the disc 30 is erected atq i h angles to the axisof the main I when the com pressible rim 29 will; be, forced into intimate en gagement with the inner face of the main.

I.t .is obvious thatvarious changes and modi fications may be made to the details of construc tionwithout departing from the general spirit 0 the invention set forth in the appended claim: "Iclaimt, 3 K

1. A gas-main stopper comprising. a pairo tongs, each tong having an arcuate formatior a handle, and a shank angular in cross sectior intermediate said arcuate formation and sai handle, a cross piece 'movably connecting ad jacent' ends. of said arcuate formations, th arcuate formation and-the handleof each .ton extending in the same direction to enable arcuat formationsand handles to be parallel and ex tending in the same direction in the closed posi tion of the tongs, and in alignment with one an other in open positionof the tongs, flange for mations on said-arcuate formations, a one-piec "yieldable disc having a rim connected'to sai flange formations, and a frame having separabl plates engaging opposite sides of said shank:

a threaded stem extending from one plat through the other, a wing nut-screw-threadedl mounted on said stem, anda coil spring inter mediate said wing nut and the-plate .througI which said stem extends yieldably resisting th tightening of said nut toclamp said plates agains said shanks. I a

2;-A gas main stopper comprising a pair c tongs, each tong having an arcuate form.ation,.

handle, and a shank angular in cross s'ectioi intermediate said arcuate formationand sai handle, a cross piece movably connecting ad jacent ends of said arcuate formations, a one piece'yieldable disc connected to said arcuat formations, a frame having separable platesen gaging opposite sides of said shanks, a threade stem extending from one platethrough the" othe: a wing nut screwthr'eadedly mounted on 'sai stem, a coil spring intermediate said wing nt and the plate through which said stemextend yieldably resisting .the tightening of said nutit clamp said plates against said shanks, a cylindrical thimble enclosing said spring and engaging the plate through which said stem extends, and awasher disposed between said thimble and said wing nut. I

3. A gas main stopper comprising a pair of tongs, each tong having an arcuate formation, a handle, and a shank angular in cross section, intermediate said arcuate formation and said handle, a cross piece movably connecting adjacent ends of said arcuate formations, the arcuate formation and the handle of each tong extending in the same direction to enable arcuate formations and handles to be parallel and extending in the same direction in the closed position of the tongs, and in alignment with one another in open position of the tongs, flange formations on said arcuate formations, a onepiece yieldable disc having a rim connected to said flange formations, a frame havingseparable, plates engaging opposite sides of said shanks, means connecting said plates to one mother, and a lip and a curved tapered finger mone ofsaid plates, the lip engaging the outer face of the main to be repaired and the finger ex- ;ending through the opening formed in the main o be repaired and having a recess to engage the vall of the main to be repaired.

4. A gas main stopper comprising a pair of netal tongs, each tong having an arcuate fornation supplementing one another to form a 'ing in open position, a metal flange formation ixtending outwardly from each arcuate formaion, a cross piece pivotally connected at its ends adjacent ends of said arcuate formations,

hanks extending from theother ends of said ,rcuate formations, means operatively associated vith said shanks and operable to anchor said ,rcuate formations in open position with the rcuate formations in alinement with said cross niece and extending away from one another, and

V one piece rubber element comprising a rubber .isc having integral therewith an enlarged ruberjrim and a ,rubber flange integral with said ubber rim extending inwardly and parallel to aid rubber disc, said rubber flange connected 0 said metal fiange formations to anchor said ubber flange against accidental, displacement nd to facilitate folding said rubber disc over pon itself when removing said stopper from,

or inserting said stopper into, operative position in agas main.

5. A gas main stopper comprising a pair of metal tongs, each tong having an arcuate formation supplementing one another to form a ring in open position, a metal flange formation extending outwardly from each arcuate formation, a cross piece pivotally connected at its ends to adjacent ends of said arcuate formations, shanks extending from the other ends of said arcuate formations, means operatively associated with said shanks and operable to anchor said arcuate formations in open position with the arcuate formations in alinement with said cross piece and extending away from one another, a one piece rubber element comprising a rubber disc having integral therewith an enlarged solid rubber rim and a rubber flange integral with said rubber rim extending inwardly and parallel to said rubber disc, and means connecting said rub-,

ber flange to said metal formations to facilitate folding said rubber disc over upon itself when removingsaid stopper from, and inserting said stopper into, operative position in main.

6. A gas main stopper comprising a pair of metal tongs, each tong having an arcuate formation supplementing one another to form a ring in open position, a pair of metal flange formations extending outwardly from each arcuate formation, a cross piece pivotally connected at its ends to adjacent ends of said arcuate formations, shanks extending from the other ends of said arcuate formations, means operatively as sociated with said shanks and operable to anchor said arcuate formations in open position with the arcuate formations in alinement with said cross piece and extending away from one another, and,

a one piece rubber element comprising a rubber disc having integral therewith an enlarged inflatable rubber rim and a rubber flange integral with said rubber rim extending inwardly and parallel to said rubber disc, said pairs of metal flange formations receiving said rubber flange and compressed to anchor said rubber flange against accidental displacement and to facilitate folding said rubber disc over upon itself when removing said stopper from, or inserting said stopper into, operative position in a gas main, GEORGE A. BEHRINGER. 

